A corrected primary sequence for bull protamine

Abstract

We have redetermined the primary sequence for bull protamine using HPLC peptide mapping and automated amino-acid sequencing techniques and report, on the basis of these findings, that the previously published amino-acid sequence for this protein is incorrect. The correct protamine sequence is 50 amino acids in length and differs from the original published sequence by the tripeptide -Cys-39-Arg-40-Arg-41-. Analyses of protamine tryptic peptides derived from nine diverse breeds of Bos tarus and Bos indicus indicate that this sequence is present in the protamine of each breed and that it does not represent a variant or mutation.